Singer-rapper Nanku—formerly known as Udbhav—is one of those artists for whom genres are simply styles they can comfortably slip into and mix and match with ease. On Pyar N’ Stuff, his transformation from a name to watch emerging from Delhi’s hip-hop scene in the early 2020s to a fully fledged pop act is complete. As he says, “club bangers sit next to ballads” on the album, which has been in the works since 2022. Pyar N’ Stuff has undoubted commercial appeal, further spiced up by hip-hop, electronic music and R&B and smartly curated guest spots from collaborator friends. Occasionally Bollywood-coded, it’s Nanku’s ode to love and revelling in feeling—and his pleasure is palpable. “Infatuation, lust, commitment, it covers love in all its forms,” says the artist. Here, he takes us through the making of the record, track by track… “Bewafah” “An album about love had to begin with [a song about] infidelity. I’m trying to get someone to leave their lover for me. Heavy club beats, a sitar sample and some lyrics about zodiac compatibility—because why not?—set the tone for what’s to come.” “Pyar+Tum” “‘Pyar+Tum’ is about being so captivated by someone that you start dreaming of them again and again, until they bleed into your reality. [Singer-songwriter] Vasu Raina plays guitar [on the tune].” “SureYeah” “A voice note from a dear friend.” “Itti Fiyah” “The club song every pop record demands. I compare the muse to fire—and there’s an actual fire siren in the background and a lyric that goes ‘Itni hai aag, fire fighters kya karein?’ (So much fire, firefighters are helpless).” “HTKT (featuring Dhanji)” “The only Gujarati track on the album. ‘HTKT’ stands for ‘Have Thi Khali Tu’ (From Now On, Just You). It’s about being done with the games and finally committing to someone. The muse is described as someone completely singular, someone I’ve never encountered the likes of before. Goofy in its delivery but [sincere]. Dhanji contributes an electric verse, while the production stays minimal with synth plucks and a groovy beat.” “Tere Peeche Main (featuring RAJA)” “[This track talks of] that point in a relationship where you’ve both stopped pretending there’s anywhere else to be. You’re following them. They’re following you. [The feelings are] mutual, slightly absurd [but] completely unavoidable—like two dogs sniffing each other. [Sounds] crude but [it’s] accurate. RAJA handles the chorus, which will be stuck in your head by the time it comes around the second time. We trade verses in the last stretch.” “Shampy” “Shampy Singhania is the online persona of (artist manager) Rijul Seth (whose voice is heard on this skit). It’s his PlayStation Network gaming name. He’s appeared on my albums before. At the start of ‘Bahaaney’ from Naharpur Prints, he can be heard complaining that labels keep calling but I keep making weird songs. By this album, he had changed his tune. Labels are lining up now and all he wants is one flashy Bollywood-style track. ‘Shampy’ leads directly into ‘Pyar Ki Si’ and is a continuation of that storyline.” “Pyar Ki Si (featuring Lambo Drive)” “The lead single, it captures the shift from infatuation to love—where someone goes from being a person you’re into, to being the person. The song sits in that moment of realisation. Flute, synths and guitars are layered into something that sounds almost weightless—innocent even.” “Naughty Nanku (featuring Vasu Raina)” “Vasu Raina wrote and produced this theme song for a fictional sitcom called Naughty Nanku. The lyrics include the names of my well-known songs. It’s a jab at all the cliches I’ve been associated with. If you listen closely, you can hear my parents in the background, sitting near the TV with chai, [as if they’re] waiting for this week’s episode.” “Rubbers (featuring Karun)” “On ‘Rubbers’, (rapper-singer) Karun and I go back and forth with slow, engaging rap verses over a minimal beat. [It speaks of] pleasure, trust, loyalty, all in the context of sex. In a climate where desiring bodies is frowned upon, I wanted to address it point blank.” “Aadhi Peg (featuring DRV)” “‘A house party a song [on which] I’m contemplating one more drink (the last one, promise) and having a conversation with my significant other. DRV comes in smooth yet hard-hitting, with his signature melodies and autotune texture. Devonian produced the glitchy, paused-out beat.” “Thode Hum Thode Tum (featuring HVSH)” “This track is about finding equilibrium in a relationship [and] the power dynamic, the need to communicate honestly and seeing someone in their truest form and still accepting them.” “Babe” “A voicemail from (partner) Bhakti Gandhi [on which] she’s frustrated that I’m constantly thinking about music even when we’re out on dates. She ends it by warning me not to even think about using the clip in the album.” “Pyar Encore (featuring Lambo Drive)” “An expanded, encore version of ‘Pyar Ki Si’. After going through all the shades of infatuation on the album, this has me longing for something absolute.” “Teri (Bonus) (featuring Karun and Bhumika)” “The core of ‘Teri’ is simple: no matter how much stupidity men display, women still take care of us and love us anyway—which is a very nice thing.”